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What is a senior clinical research scientist and how to become one
Senior clinical research scientists work in laboratory environments and laboratories to conduct experiments and research for commercial, industrial, and academic purposes. Sometimes, they develop products for companies and contribute to the scientific understanding of the field. In universities, they undertake research and are often funded by grants to complete them. The research scientist may be required to train junior scientists, and must stay updated with the developments within their field.
Primarily, a senior clinical research scientist leads the development, formulation, and optimization of designs and programs. They also formulate, research, and assess new technologies. However, you must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in a relevant field to fill this role. The scientist earns an average of $47.65 hourly or $99,111 yearly.
What general advice would you give to a senior clinical research scientist?
Dr. Betsy Smith
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College
Avg. Salary $103,836
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 6%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%
Asian 13.31%
Black or African American 2.47%
Hispanic or Latino 13.87%
Unknown 7.42%
White 62.44%
Genderfemale 51.54%
male 48.46%
Age - 43.5American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43.5Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Senior clinical research scientist career paths
Key steps to become a senior clinical research scientist
Explore senior clinical research scientist education requirements
Start to develop specific senior clinical research scientist skills
Skills Percentages Clinical Operations 8.29% Informed Consent 7.41% Clinical Development 6.63% Clinical Trials 6.46% Clinical Data 5.73% Complete relevant senior clinical research scientist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior clinical research scientists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior clinical research scientist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior clinical research scientist resumes.Research senior clinical research scientist duties and responsibilities
- Supervise and manage planning, implementation, conduct and reporting of assign early phase international clinical studies in oncology.
- Contribute to the development of templates for protocols and clinical study reports following FDA, GCP and ICH guidelines.
- Authore and review abstracts, manuscripts, slide decks and posters in collaboration with internal and external (CRO) stakeholders.
- Lead feasibility and identification of CRO selection for pediatric program.
Get senior clinical research scientist experience
Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a senior clinical research scientist. The most common roles before becoming a senior clinical research scientist include clinical research associate, clinical research scientist team lead and senior clinical research associate.Prepare your senior clinical research scientist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior clinical research scientist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior clinical research scientist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable senior clinical research scientist resume templates
Build a professional senior clinical research scientist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior clinical research scientist resume.
Apply for senior clinical research scientist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a senior clinical research scientist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
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Average senior clinical research scientist salary
The average senior clinical research scientist salary in the United States is $103,836 per year or $50 per hour. Senior clinical research scientist salaries range between $67,000 and $159,000 per year.
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Senior clinical research scientist reviews
Science of observation
Updated January 8, 2025
